Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Nice: Loic Remy Pinches Hold-Up Win For Visitors

Nice soaked up Paris Saint-Germain’s pressure, riding their luck at times, before breaking late to win the match late on through Loic Remy.

Les Parisiens were as accustomed to the woodwork at the end of the match as a master carpenter, as they had a string off efforts go frustratingly close to finding the net. Their guests, on the other hand, showed pace in attack and discipline to only push forward numbers when the situation merited it.

Having resounding beaten Olympique Lyonnais 4-1 only a matter of weeks ago, Didier Olle-Nicole sent his Nice side out to achieve a similar result by way of similar tactics against PSG.

For long periods of the first half the home side were simply kept at an arm’s length by a very well organised visiting side, and it would frequently be les Aiglons who looked the more dangerous outfit, particularly as the half progressed.

Peguy Luyindula shot over in the first couple of minutes in the match, but this was not to be representative of what was to follow. Loic Remy headed with from an Anthony Mounier corner in response before Clement Chantome found rare space in the Nice box. However, the midfielder’s header was weak and easily saved by David Ospina.

When some nice play did carve open the visitors, such as when Stephane Sessegnon slalomed past Drissa Diakite before slinging a dangerous cross into the box, there was simply no-one there for the home side.

Les Aiglons were clearly growing in confidence as the half progressed, so it was little surprise to see them conclude the more dangerous side. Remy, as so often is the case, was the offensive protagonist, firing at goal from 25-yards, though Gregory Coupet in the home net was comfortably equal to the task.

Two minutes before the break Mamadou Bagayoko seemed set to plant the ball beyond the home ‘keeper after being released by Mahamane Traore. Just as the forward player was about to pull the trigger, Mamadou Sakho got back in to make a terrific recover challenge.

The half concluded with Remy taking the ball for a walk before firing more mundanely at Coupet, barely forcing the experienced custodian to flinch.

Fifteen minutes later the teams re-emerged and nothing significantly different would change in the game immediately. However, good acceleration by Jallet down the right allowed him space to centre for Erding, whose header could only find the post.

Sixty seconds later it would be Nice who were cursing their luck as Mounier went through on goal but failed in his quest to beat Coupet.

In this temporarily see-saw affair, PSG were next to go for the throat. Luyindula burst down the left and offloaded to Ludovic Giuly. The former Roma man tried to beat Evono at his near post, but the stopper was wise to the trick and repelled the ball from a corner, capturing it safely when knocked towards goal by Luyindula from the resultant kick.

Ospina would make a terrific save midway through the half. Erding’s fine hold up play created the issue for the guests. The Turk’s chip to the back post picked out Giuly, who controlled and shot well only for the young Colombian goalkeeper to turn his effort onto the bar.

Again the crossbar would save Nice only five minutes later, though their ‘keeper didn’t appear to have Sessegnon’s crackerjack of a shot covered as it beat him and clattered against the horizontal of his goal.

Just as they did in the first half, le Gym would finish the second half powerfully, only this time they would snatch a goal. Inevitably their opportunity arose from a counterattack, which was instigated by Mounier. The former Lyon man centred for ex-Gones team-mate Remy to smartly direct his header across Coupet and into the opposite corner, snatching three points in the process.

There can be little doubt that there was a degree of fortune in Nice’s success, though they will have few qualms as they climbed into tenth spot. PSG have fallen to 12th as a result of this hold-up, and Antoine Kombouare will doubtless be under a significant amount of pressure if this poor run of results continues until the festive period.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com